1. Field
The following description relates to a washing machine including a centrifugal fan which may increase a discharge flow rate.
2. Description of the Related Art
A washing machine, which uses electric power to wash clothing, generally includes a tub to retain washing water, a rotary tub rotatably installed in the tub, a pulsator rotatably installed at the bottom of the rotary tub, and a power transmission unit to selectively transfer rotational power of a driving motor to the rotary tub or pulsator.
Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2002-0004043 discloses an example of a power transmission unit of the above washing machine. A clutch device disclosed in this document receives power from the motor through a pulley and transfer the power to the shaft of the pulley such that the rate of rotation of the motor is reduced by a reduction gear unit and transferred to a washing shaft to rotate the pulsator connected to the washing shaft clockwise or counterclockwise to perform operations of washing.
While washing and drying operations are preformed, heat may produced in the motor. To cool the motor, a centrifugal fan may be installed at the pulley of the motor, and the fan and pulley rotate clockwise and counterclockwise together with a motor rotating shaft.
When the temperature of the motor exceeds a predetermined temperature, for example, due to lack of flow rate, the motor may stop rotating until the temperature drops below the predetermined temperature and then performs rotation.
Accordingly, the entire time taken to perform washing may be increased due to cooling of the motor by the centrifugal fan.